Harry w



(No Model.)

H.W.BU RY. SKIRT DISTENDER.

N0.'574,131.- Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

'mz scams Permis cc. New Lmao. WASHINGTON. u, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIARRY IV. BURY, OF FRANKFORT, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLESAMOS AND N. S, MOORE, OF SAME PLACE.

SKIRT-DISTENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,131, dated December29, 1896. Application filed August 8| 1896. Serial No. 602,112. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t 72ml/ conc/21W: sheaths in which they are incased may beBe it known that I, HARRY W. BURY, a citimade of any suitable lightmaterial, such as zen of the United States,residingal Frankfort, silk orlinen. in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, The forming ordistending tubes are adapf- 55 5 have invented a new and usefulAttachment ed to extend from a point at or near the band forDress-Skirts, of Vwhich the following is a of an underskirt or similarsupport to a point specification. near the bottom of the skirt and uponthe My invention relates to an attachment for outer side of saidnnderskirt, whereby the distending dress-skirts to hold the same inupper orouter skirtmayhang thereover, and 6o Io 'the desired folds orplaits; and the object in in order that the distending-tubes may fit,re-

view is to provide means to be readily atspectively, in the folds of theupper or outer tached to an underskirt orits equivalent, and skirt (notillustrated in the drawings) hookwhich may be inflated to the desiredextent eyes 5 or similar fastening devices are arpneumatioally, thussecuring lightness, flexiranged in the spaces between the distending- 65i 5 bility, and durability. tubes, as upon the support l, for engagementFurther objects and advantages of the inbyhooks (not shown) which areadapted to be vention will appear in the following descripcarried by theupper or outer skirt. tion, and the novel features thereof will be Fromthe above description it will be seen particularly pointed out in theappended that when inflated the distending device form- 7o 2o claims.ing the subject of my invention is adapted to In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is hold the organ-pipe77 or godet 7 folds in aperspective view of a device embodying my the proper shape to cause theback of the invention applied in the operative position skirt to hanggracefully without adding ma- .to a dress-skirt. Fig. 2 is a transversehoriterially to the weight of the skirt, and, in 75 25 zontal section ofthe same.A Fig. 3 is adetail fact, resulting in a reduction of weight inview in perspective of the upper extremity of comparison with thosemeans, such as hairone of the tubes. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical clothand other stiffening-linings, which are or longitudinal section ofaportion of the upordinarily employed for this purpose.

per extremity of a sheath, showing the con- Various changes in the form,proportion, 8o 3o tiguous portions of the tube and supportingand theminor details of construction may be skirt. resorted to withoutdeparting from the prin- Similar numerals of reference indicate corcipleor sacrificing any of the advantages of responding parts throughout thefigures. this invention.

The dress-forming tubes embodying myin- Having thus described myinvention, I 85 35 vention consist, essentially, of a tapered orclaimconical tube 2, adapted to be inflated by air, l. The combinationwith a supporting-garfor which purpose the upper or reduced exmentof' aseries of tapered sheaths of flexible tremity thereof is open to providefor applymaterial attached to the garment and open ing the lips. Afterinflation the reduced at their reduced ends contiguousto the waist- 9o4o extremity of the tube is folded or bent upon band of the garment, andtapered pneumatitself, as shown in Fig. 3, and is secured byically-infiat-able tubes incased in said sheat-hs means of a tie 3 orits equivalent. In conand having inlet-tubes extending through nectionwith this tube is preferably employed the openings at the reduced endsof the a flexible sheath 4, which may be attached to sheaths, tofacilitate ind-ation, substantially 95 45 the dress-skirt or othersupport by means of as specified.

stitching or otherwise, the upper end of the 2. The combination with asu pporting-garsheath being left open to give access to the ment, oftapered sheaths of flexible material upper extremity of the inflatedtube. The permanently attached exteriorly to the said tubes may beconstructed of any suitable airgarment and extending from the waistbandico 5o tight material, such as vulcanized silk, linen, approximately tothe lower edge thereof, and

or the equivalent thereof, as rubber, and the taperedpneumaticallyinflatable tubes arranged within the sheatbs and providedwith of the tubes being adapted to be folded or exposed means of innation, substantially as bent upon themselves to retain contained air,

specified. and a tie for securing` said extension :in its 15 3.Adistending device Afordress-skirts conifolded position, substantiallyas specified.

5 prising tapered exible sheaths adapted to 3 In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as be carried by the supporting-skirt and ari my own Ihave hereto aliixed mysignature in ranged at intervals with theirreduced eX- the presence of two Witnesses. treinities contiguous to thewaistband, inilatable tubesitted in said sheaths and havi IIARRY XV.'KURS/ 1o ing` extended and reduced upper extremities adapted to projectthrough the open upper ends of the sheaths, said reduced extensionsWitnesses:

FRED BOWEN, .Toi-1N MARSHALL.

